Metallic burial casing or vault.



No. 859,544. PATENTED JULY 9, 1907.

H. D. CLARK. METALLIC BURIAL CASING 0R VAULT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

5 H venboz QXRtwboeo attoznu o UNITED STATES HUGH D. CLARK, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

METALLIC BURIAL CASING QR VAULT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1907.

Application filed November 7,1906. Serial No. 342,349.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH D. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Burial Casings or Vaults, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in metallic burial casings or vaults.

The object of the invention is the provision of a. device of this character constructed in such manner that the bottom may be first lowered into the grave and securely anchored therein with laterally movable fastening devices, after which'the cofiin may be lowered into the grave to rest upon said bottom portion. The cover or top portion may then be lowered over the coflin and is constructed in such manner as to interlock with the bottom portion, thereby securely anchoring the entire structure within the grave and preventing the reinova] of the coffin.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved locking mechanism, which is adapted to be'swung bodily over the raised bottom portion when the device is being shipped, to prevent the top part of the vault from becoming locked to the bottom part during shipment.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved method of constructing the upper part of the casing, this improved method resulting in provids ing an imperforate casing above the line of the raised bottom. 7

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed descriptionwhich now follows: I

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a burial casing or vault constructed in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the skeleton frame hereinafter described, Fig. 3

is a transverse vertical section through the burial casing or vault, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the vault, and Fig. 5, is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the parts in the position they assume just before the top interlocks with the base and illustrating in dotted lines-the position a part of, said locking mechanism lies in during shipment.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

The base portion of the burial vault or casing is indicated by the numeral 5. A horizontal flange 6 extends entirely around this base portion and handles 7 are secured to this flange to permit the ready handling of the base port-ion. Secured to the raised portion of this base indicated at 8, are strap hinges 9. Hangers 10 are pivoted as at 11 to these strap hinges, leaf springs 12 secured thereto. Anchoring spurs 13 are slidably disposed in keepers 14 which are carried by the flange 6, these anchors when forced outwardly from the lutely air-tight.

enter between the flanges, 6 and 27, but as soon as the said hangers having .base, entering the earth which forms the walls of the to securely lock the base portion in A skeleton frame consisting of a longitudinally extending bar. 17, has secured thereto transverse ribs 18.

. These ribs have recesses 19 formed thereinat the juncture of their bowed portions and their vertical portions 20. The ends of these ribs are reduced as at 21. I

first form the top portion of the burial casing or vault of sheet metal, the top 22 and the side walls 23 thereof being joined by air-tight seams 24, these seams being formed by bending the side edges of the top portion into engagement with the top edges of the side portions. This seam forms a rib which extends along the sides of the vault and this rib is adapted to engage in the recesses 19 of the ribs 18. After this sheet metal casing has been formed, it is turned upside down and the skeleton frame is lowered therein. An angle iron frame 25 is then inserted, this angle iron frame comprising a vertical portion 26 and a horizontal portion '27, the reduced ends 21 of the portions 20 of the ribs 18 lying between the vertical portion 26 of this angle iron frame and the side walls 23 of the top of the vault. Rivets 28 serve to tie all of these parts together at the base of the top portion. These rivets also secure plates 29 in position, the 'outtnrned upper edges of these plates being adapted to engage 'under the free ends of the springs when the top is lowered into the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

It will be seen that by providing the skeleton frame which stiffens and supports the sheet metal top, without any riveting except aroundthe lower edge ofsaid top, an imperforate casing is provided which is abso- Of course it is possible for waterto;

water reaches the level of the ange 27, no more w'ater will enter the casing 15, no matter what theheight of the water may be outside of the casing, for the air confined within said casing'will prevent th'ewater from entering, the water as it rises to the flange 27 confining the air in said casing and providing a seal which keeps said air confined within the casing, 'Since the level of the flange 27 is considerably below the level of the raised portion 8 of the bottom 5, it follows that the coffin will be maintained in a perfectly dry state at all times. It has been found that where a riveted casing has beenused, that these rivets are not always air tight and that the edges around them soon begin to rust.

This of course permits the escape of air from the casing and the water will then enter and over-flow the coffin,

but with the construction herein shown and described, an absolutely imperforate casing is provided above the casket which will effectually obviate the foregoing difficulty.

It is of course impossible to remove the top after the free ends of the springs 12 have snapped over the edges of the plate 9. In order to prevent this interlocking of the parts during shipment and yet permit both the bottom and the top of the vault to be shipped in one crate, the hinge 9 is provided. During shipment the hangers 10 are swung to the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 and in full lines at the right hand end of Fig. 4, at which time the two portions of the strap hinge lie in contact with each other and the hangers are swung around on the pivot 11. over the raised portion 8 of the bottom 5. The top may then be lowered upon the flange 6 without interlocking of the parts. If desired a screw indicated at in Fig. 5, may be passed through the hanger and through the flange 6 to lock said hanger in the position illustrated in said figure.

' From the foregoing description, it will be seen that simple and efiicient means are herein provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, but while the elements shown and described are well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth, but includes within its purview such changes as may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim, is: f p

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a sheet metal casing open at the bottom, of a skeleton frame adapted to fit within said sheet metal casing, said skeleton frame being positively secured to said sheet metal casingonly at the lower edge of said casing.

2. In a burial vault, the combination with a base poi" tion, of hinges secured to said base portion. and hangers pivoted to said hinges, said hangers carrying locking members, the portions of said hinges to which said hangers are pivoted, being adapted to fold over said base portion to bring said hangers into an inoperative position.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a metallic casing having a rib formed upon the inner side thereof near the top of the casing, of a skeleton frame adapted to fit within said casing and having recessed portions adapted to engage said rib, an angular frame which lies partly within said casing and to which the lower edge of said casing and the lower ends of the skeleton frame are secured.

4. Ina top for a burial vault, the combination with a sheet metal casing open at the bottom, of a skeleton frame adapted to fit within said sheet metal casing and bracing said sheet metal casing, and means for securing said skeleton frame to the sheet metal casing at the lower' edge of said casing. i

5. In a burial vault,-the combination with a base portion having a raised central portion, and an outturned flange extending about said central portion, of hinges secured to said raised portion, hangers pivoted to said hinges, said hangers carrying locking members, and the portion of said hinges to which said hangers are pivoted being adapted to fold over the raised portion of the base to bring said hangers into an inoperative position, a cover having an open bottom, the lower edge of said cover being adapted to surround the raised portion of the base, and locking members carried by said hangers and by the cover, said locking members being adapted to engage with each other to lock the cover upon the base.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUGH D. CLARK.

Witnesses FRANK G. CAMPBELL, JOHN L. Gnrnn. 

